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ladybird

British  
/ ˈleɪdɪˌbɜːd /

noun

  1. Usual US and Canadian name: ladybug. any of various small brightly coloured beetles of the family Coccinellidae, such as Adalia bipunctata ( two-spotted ladybird ), which has red elytra marked with black spots

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of ladybird

C18: named after Our Lady, the Virgin Mary


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Some states, including Florida, Texas, Michigan, Vermont and West Virginia, also utilize deeds known as ladybird deeds or enhanced life-estate deeds, which automatically remove a home from probate and exempt it from Medicaid estate recovery.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 19, 2026

Dr Hayley Jones, principal entomologist at the Royal Horticultural Society, says that their numbers are now beginning to drop off as their natural predator - the ladybird - is taking over and playing catch up.

From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2025

The nursery rhyme that goes “Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home, your house is on fire, your children are gone” cruelly repeated in my head.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 28, 2025

Previous studies have shown that animals including ladybird beetles and sand tiger sharks practice such lardering behavior.

From Science Magazine ● Mar. 15, 2024

“No, no—it’s a sort of charm thing that my mother taught me. You know, like ‘Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home.’

From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams

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